


I'll come back for you

by chrobins



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:05:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5994250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrobins/pseuds/chrobins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata, Kageyama, and Yamaguchi are local orphan boys that visit old man Tsukishima because he tells the best stories ever. Only Tsukishima's caretaker, Akaashi knows the ending. </p>
<p>Akaashi is in his twenties and Tsukishima is like 80. Old man. Old grump.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll come back for you

The first time the little boy made his way through the thick and untamed forest, his trembling hands held onto his toy flashlight that was bright enough to light the unmarked path despite the fact that it was in the middle of the day. His legs moved slowly and unsure, but his friends had reassured him that what was waiting for him was worth the scratches and bug bites.

 

Finally he was met with an open clearing, the little boy stood there in awe. Rays of sunshine were glowing down on the wild flowers of yellow and purple, and a decent sized log cabin right smack in the middle. The little boy pressed on, looking at the herb garden on the left side of the house and the faint sound of dogs barking. He walked around the house until he saw the front porch adorned with two rocking chairs, one of them occupied.

 

“Yama-chan!” The boy startled at the sound of his name, but his fear slowly dissipated at the sight of his two best friends sitting cross legged on the porch in front of one of the rocking chairs. He bounded over to them and sat next to Hinata with a sheepish smile on his face. “Tsukki, this is our friend, Yama-chan!”

 

Nervous, Yamaguchi glances up at the elderly man with light golden hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a gaze that could kill. There were deep wrinkles on his forehead and his thin fingers peeking from his long-sleeve plaid button-up looked frail. Yamaguchi slowly inched closer to Hinata’s side. “Tsukki, can you tell us the story about the prince and the farmer again?”

 

Tsukishima, the elderly man who the three children have taken to calling him “Tsukki” because Tsukishima was too long for them to remember. Normally, Tsukishima disliked children. They were loud, disrespectful, and dirty. But Akaashi told him that spending time with the orphans that traveled through the thick forest just for his fairy tales might help ease his pain.

 

“Fine.” Tsukishima adjusted his position better so he could sit comfortably while he talked.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, Tsukki!” The blonde boy grimaced at the sound of a terrible nickname. He was a prince for crying out loud; no one dared speak to him unless they were offering something, let alone give him a nickname. “Tsukki, are you alive?” The dusty boy with wild hair that stuck out in every direction, cuts and bruises all over his arms and legs, barefoot at all times.

 

“What do you want…” Tsukishima inquired, trying to keep about himself a proper posture. But around Kuroo, it was hard sometimes. They’d known each other for a long time.

 

“You want to go out and play today?” Kuroo’s cheeks were bright red, but his smile even more so, blinding Tsukishima just like the sun.

 

Part of him wanted to. “I have duties to attend to today.” Tsukishima’s words came out a little bitter, and the way Kuroo’s face fell made Tsukishima feel a pang of sorrow in his chest. “But, maybe tomorrow?”

 

Kuroo’s face lit up again. “Okay! I’ll be back tomorrow, Tsukki!”

 

And despite his better judgement, Tsukishima went back to the edge of his kingdom where Kuroo lived the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. He visited Kuroo more often than not, bonding over little things, being taken in by Kuroo’s sunshine smile.

 

Even when Tsukishima became next in line for the throne, even though he was in his twenties, he always made time to visit Kuroo, help him with his farm duties, and sometimes even ate dinner at their small little shack they called home.

 

But it was the day that a neighboring kingdom declared war that Tsukishima slowly realized he might not ever see Kuroo again. “Hey, Kei, don’t beat yourself up.” Kuroo smiled and hugged Tsukishima tightly. “Will you let me fight? Alongside you?”

 

“What are you talking about? You aren’t trained! You’d die in a heartbeat!” Tsukishima protested; he had to protect Kuroo, not the other way around. What kind of future king used his people likes shields, sends the one he loves into death? “No, I have a better idea.” Tsukishima pulled away from Kuroo and reached around the back of his neck to undo the gold chain necklace, the ruby red gem springing free from beneath his shirt.

 

Tsukishima smiled and reached around Kuroo’s neck to clasp the necklace around Kuroo. “Kei, what is this?”

 

“It was my mother’s. Before she died, she gave this to me. My father gave it to her years ago when they met, as a token of their love. So she told me to give this to the one person that I will love with all my heart.” Tsukishima tucked the gem inside Kuroo’s slightly torn shirt. “Can you promise me that when I come back, that you’ll marry me?”

 

Kuroo was stunned. “Kei...I…”

 

“Your mother, your brothers and sisters, I’ll take your entire family up to the caste. All of you have worked too hard, and I’d like to give your family a happy, easy life.” Tsukishima smiled. 

 

“But, you can’t marry me. I’m just a nobody, a dirty farm boy. I don’t deserve someone like you.” Kuroo stared at the gem tucked in his shirt; it felt too real, too good to be true.

 

Tsukishima huffed and pinched Kuroo’s cheeks in an attempt to bring him back to reality. “I love you, Kuroo Tetsurou. Do you not love me back?”

 

Kuroo felt himself tear up. “I...do. A lot. So much.”

 

“Then marry me. When I come home victorious.” Tsukishima cupped Kuroo’s cheeks and kissed him lightly, turning red at such a forward action. It felt strange to have bravery course through him, but the rough, dry lips against his own felt absolutely perfect. “I will come home for you.”

 

Sticking his pinky out, Kuroo smiled as Tsukishima intertwined his own. “I’ll be waiting.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Wow, did they get married?” Yamaguchi asked, fully engrossed in the story. “Did they live happily ever after?”

 

Tsukishima grimaced, looking at the children’s glowing faces. He decided to tell them the ending they knew, the ending they wanted.

 

“Yeah. Happily ever after.”

* * *

 

 

“Kei, you’re home!” Akiteru nearly screeched as Tsukishima led his winning soldiers back to the castle, They had lost many, but not in vain. 

 

Tsukishima smiled. “Yeah. A little broken, but alive.” But he didn’t have time to dawdle on himself. He bid his brother a quick farewell before heading into town. Only he was met with a sight he wasn’t ready for. His people were repairing the endless houses that populated their kingdom. What had happened? Why did his kingdom look like it was in ruin.

 

Though his ankles were sprained, Tsukishima went running, smiling at the people who noticed his return and greeted him despite the damage they were fixing. He kept going until the number of buildings around him dwindled, until there was nothing but farmland in front of him, until there was only one house left, the only house that mattered.

 

There was no one outside, though it was quite late in the day. Tsukishima shoved the front door open, eyes looking wildly for the only person that mattered. “Tsukki!” Tsukishima turned his head to the hallway as two small whirls ran in and clung to each of his legs, singing his name.

 

“Where’s Tetsu?” Kei asked, patting the twins’ on the head, smiling down at them.

 

“Tetsu-nii is outside by the big oak tree.” They said in unison, and Tsukishima was prying the twins off of him and running outside to see his love. Kuroo was sitting under the tree, looking into the open field. The pain in Tsukishima’s ankles was almost unbearable, but Kuroo was all that mattered. 

 

Tsukishima sobbed as he got closer and collapsed into Kuroo’s lap. Kuroo made a cry of surprise, but when he saw who it was, he embraced the blonde tightly. “Kei...you came back…”

 

“Of course I would, idiot. I’ll always come back for you.”

 

It happened all too fast for Tsukishima. They embraced, they kissed, they exchanged sweet vows, whispered into each other’s ears, Tsukishima pressed his hand on Kuroo’s chest, eyes wide...everything was red and purple, everything they shouldn’t be. He could see the fear in Kuroo’s eyes, could see it past all of the tears. 

 

Kuroo had held on just long enough for Tsukishima to come back, but not long enough to keep his promise. “The barbarians in the north took advantage of your absence, and we held on and scared them off until you got back...but…” Kuroo smiled sheepishly, and Tsukishima realized why no one else was outside, why the children were still happy,  _ because they didn’t know. _

 

“I would have really liked it, Kei. A life with you. But...it looks like I can’t go with you any more.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Tsukishima, I sent the children home with cookies.” Akaashi strolled out of the log cabin out to the porch where the old man sat, looking out into the distance. “Are you ready to come inside?”

 

The sunset here was the same sunset back then. It was still beautiful, and still bright red. “Maybe later. I have to go greet Kuroo first.”

 

Akaashi’s eyes widened at the words, the full story of Tsukishima’s life flooding back into his mind. He loved taking care of Tsukishima; besides, the grumpy old man had no one else. 

 

“Alright, Tsukishima. Tell him hello for me.” Akaashi nodded and made a quick phone call. He got Tsukishima’s bed ready and waited a little while before strolling out to the porch where Tsukishima sat, the wind rocking the seat, a small smile on Tsukishima’s lips, the life in his eyes gone but the love shining just as bright as the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> If you need more clarification, Kuroo was hit by a poison arrow. The kingdom's doctor's couldn't heal him because they had no antidote for such a strong poison.
> 
> Please tell me what you thought!


End file.
